Eminence grise
Charles has already explained that there was no fixed location for coronations before Edward the Confessor, his taking place at Winchester in 1043. I think the simplest explanation for this is that the Court moved around the country and the Rite was held wherever the new king happened to be.
By the middle of the 11th century, the kingdom that would be England was undoubtedly coming together and the Confessor decided to build to reflect a more centralised system of government. The royal enclosure was at Westminster and Edward founded his great Benedictine Abbey (where there was already a religious settlement) next to it. It was consecrated on 28 December 1065 and Edward died at Westminster on 5 January 1066, Harold electing to be crowned in the new Abbey the next day, the Epiphany.
The tradition immediately established itself of the Abbey being the church of coronation and this was firmly cemented in the 13th century when Henry III rebuilt it (the building we have today) both as Shrine to the Confessor and as venue for coronations. Kings would be consecrated next to the Saint-King and the architectural peculiarity of Henry's design, which copied Rheims with Quire west of Crossing, provided the essential space deliberately for this ceremony.
Charles has mentioned the additional coronations that have taken place but, in answer to your question, Nellie, there has been no attempt to challenge the Abbey.
Every crowned Sovereign since Harold II went on 6 January 1066 has gone to Westminster for his coronation.
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